baby wearing take two

When I was pregnant I posted a few options that we were looking at regarding baby wearing carriers and wraps. Well we headed off to Milkface, a local babywearing store and tried out a few options. I picked the hug-a-bub but actually bought the sleepy wrap since it was very similar and much cheaper and Andrew picked the Beco Butterfly II, which is a soft structured carrier. We've used both carriers quite often and I've spent hours and hours each day wearing the sleepy wrap. Newborns love love love the sleepy wrap. I kid you not, nestle a fussy newborn into that wrap and the fussiness will disappear. The girls have both napped away afternoons in that wrap and it has saved my sanity during many duel cryfests.

The only problem... the girls are getting bigger and my back... oh my back.... just isn't loving the sleepy wrap anymore.

So a couple of weekends ago we returned to milkface and I tried on a whole slew of other carrier options. First I considered trying to use Andrew's Beco Butterfly II carrier but it just never felt right on me. There is an inner panel between the baby and the carrier, which in this case would be me. This panel is handy for actually loading the baby into the carrier before you put it on, but personally I found it cumbersome. Also, this Beco model does not have straps that cross in the back, which I thought made it less comfortable for my back. So that option was quickly dismissed.

Next up was the Ergo. The Ergo had the added ability to wear a baby on your hip, something I was really interested in since I often find I hold them on my hip while walking around. Unfortunately the Ergo also had the panel in between baby and carrier and the straps couldn't cross in the back. So that was out.

The Scootababy is a great concept - it is a carrier specifically for carrying your baby on your hip and looks super comfortable... however... I didn't even try this one on since I didn't want to fork out that much money for a carrier that only did one position.

Finally I tried on the Beco Gemini.... winner! The Gemini has no inner panel (so baby is right up against the carrier (me), the leg openings for the baby actually adjust to a narrower width for tinnier, younger babies, the straps can cross across your back (amazing) and you can use it to carry your baby on your hip.

Ok, so I'm new to the whole wraps and when I put Chloe in, she almost suffocates herself on my chest. Well not really, but what do your babies do with their head? Just look from side to side? I don't know if I'm wearing her to high, to low, it just doesn't seem right.

@Stephanie - I just emailed you what worked for me when wearing the sleepy wrap:

here's what worked for me - usually their head was at my breastbone level and usually they naturally turned their head to one side or the other but sometimes they stayed facing me and i would just look down now and then to make sure they were breathing. you want her body facing completely towards you - you don;t want her twisted to one side. it should just be her head that turns. also, make sure you are tying your wrap really tight around you and then stretching it out. I would put the opposite arm in the opposite side (right arm for left side of me) and then push the fabric right out straight, then put a baby in and then do the same with the other side and then pull up the main panel over the crossed panels.

Through a lot of research and the suggestion of the beco from your blog I just recently purchased a gemini. This is my first time trying to baby wear and I want to do it but LM doesn't seem too. I'm not sure if I'm just not 100% confident yet, but he whines and cries to get out after five minutes. I wonder if reflux has anything to do with not wanting to be in there. I'll keep trying though.